Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-01
TO GO TO THE PACIFIC.
A Fish Commission steamer to Round
Cape Horn.
DEEP-sEA FISHERIES OF THB PACIFIC TO BE INvES
TIGATED-THE ALBATROSS TO BE FITTED FOR
LONG vOYAGE-wOEK OF THE COMMISSION.

INC 1oA SOAkA44ASo1Ou oUCdulcE alUdtIOSS, uOW db
the navy-yard in this city, will go soon to Balti-
more to receive the new boilers that are being
made for her there. These new boilers are de-
signed to ut the steamer for extended voyages
In the fall the AlbatrOss, it is expected, viii be
ready to set out for the Pacific, where work such
as that which has been prosecuted successfully in
the Atlantic by the Fish Commission will be begun
The Pacific offers field almost entirely new for
such work. The expedition of the Albatross has
not yet been planned In detail 1t is expected
that she Will set out in october, passing through
in that latitude, and then pass up to the west
coast OF America She will stay In the Pacific for
two or more years, and make during that time as
thorough an investigation as possible OF all mat
ters relating to food fishes. The cod, the hall
but, and other food fishes are caught in the
Pacific, but little is known of their distribution,
and the fisheries have not been developed.
THE CHESAPEAKE OF THE WEST COAST.
The AlbatroSs will also during her stay, make
Investigations In the Gulf Of California. The Fish
Commission has deposited during the last few
years large supply OF young shad In the Colo
rado River, and the Aibatross VIII visit the Gulf
OF California, partly with the view OF ascertainng
the results OF this work Prof. Baird, speaking to
a STAR reporter OF the matter, said that the Fish
second Chesapeake Bay for shad. The Thetis,
which will soon leave Norfolk for cruise in
Alaskan waters, under command of Lieut.. Emory,
IS being supplied by the Fish Commission at Lieut..
Emory instance, with dredging outfit and other
apparatus necessary to investigations such as are
carried on by the vessels OF the Commission. The
ThetiS will cruise in higher latitudeS than the
Albatross, In the sea OF Behring, and perhaps in
the Arctic, so that the results OF the investiga-
tionS will be important in connection with those
or the Albatross. Much interest has been taken
by public men on the Pacific coast in the work OF
the Fish Commission The commission has
the West, but has not undertaken any deep-sea
work. This has been due chiefly to the reason
that the Commission has not had the means at
undertake.
made an appropriation for new boilers for the
Albatross, which were necessary to such an ex-
good enough while the vessel was at work in the
Atlantic, near ports where 1t could put in for re-
pairs II they We're needed.
THE INVESTIGATIONS
OF the fisheries of the Pacific will include practi-
cal inquiry into the location Of fishing banks and
the distribution and migrations of the fish. 1t is
hoped that it will be ascertained what fish there
are and where and when they occur In the great
est abundance, and other Information OF prac-
tical benefit to the fishermen and the con-
sumers OF fish will be obtained These prac-
tical matters involve many scientific questions,
and the Albatross will have aboard full corps
OF competent scientinc Investigators The food
OF fishes the temperature OF the sea water
at the top, In the middle and at the bottom,
tonS to be determined at different points. 1t has
been established by, the investigations of the Com
mission that m from ON the presence OF one FISH upon
daceOuS fish may be inferred, and again. the pres
ence OF the nsh that feeds upon the second fish,
and so on The microscOpical structure or constit-
ueDtS OF the water is taken into consideration
as the young OF some fish obtain their SuStenance
from organisms In the water so small that their
presence cannot be detected by the naked eye.
The luminosity OF the water Is deemed OF import
ance, because some fish, it is held, require light.
These are some OF the points which O gentleman
connected with the Fish commission mentioned
to STAR reporter as matters that entered into
deep-Sea Investigations. TO make q thorough ex-
plOratOn OF the Pacific would require several YES
sells many years. The AlbatrOSs Will do what can
be done in few years and then return to the At
lanttc to go on with its work there.
THE WORK IN THE ATLANTIC.
The Atlantic is q great book OF which as yet
only the opening pages have been read. The
Commission has undertaken systematic survey
OF the Atlantic fisheries. The fishermen, OF course
seek the fish only where the observation of many
years mas made 1t certain that they viii appear at
certain seasons. The mackerel feet assemble
early In the spring OH Hatteras, because 1t is well
established that the mackerel will appear there.
Whether they appear earlier further south, or in
greater abundance or greater size further out at
sea, are questions which the commercial fisher
mandOeS not undertake to solve. as he Is sattSied
with going to point where he is absolutely sure
OF a catch. The Commission has undertaken to
make this season very thorough investigation or
the range OF the mackerel
O